MONTREAL—Aiming higher and higher, champion pole-vaulter Brittany Salmon has her sights set on the Canada Games and competitions beyond.
“Most athletes dream of going to the Olympics and I’d love to go to the Olympics as a long-term goal,” said Brittany. “More realistically, I’d like to go to the 2013 Canada Games.”
While she’s never represented Canada internationally, the 17-year-old is exceptionally young for a sport when athletes only hit their strides in their late 20s or 30s.
“It took me three years to really start improving and go higher, it took a lot of determination when I really wasn’t going anywhere,” said Brittany.
The sport is a lot easier when she has it in her blood.
“Right now we go to the same competitions together,” said her father, Tony Salmon. “We competed against each other at different heights.”
An indoor and outdoor athlete, Brittany is ranked first in Quebec in the long jump and pole-vault—the latter is her true passion. Brittany’s coach says she has all the tools.
“She was a good sprinter, which is quality number one to be a good pole-vaulter,” said coach Ambroise Courteau. “You need to run fast.”
With a heavy schedule that keeps her at the track and gym, she has a 95 per cent average in school and just started her first year at Champlain College.
“I’m one of the few students who doesn’t enjoy missing class,” said Brittany.
